Docking type interlock system and method

Abstract

The charging interlock system of the electronic device includes a drive system, a relay coupled to the drive system, and a controller. The controller receives an indication that the electrical device is in the charging mode. The controller also sends a signal to open the relay. Further, the controller determines that the drive system is deactivated based at least in part on the opened relay.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] 〔Cross - Reference to Related Applications〕 This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 352,052, entitled "DOCKED INTERLOCK SYSTEM AND METHOD", filed on June 14, 2022, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

Background Art

[0002] In certain entertainment environments such as amusement parks, some entertainment environment features can be fully or partially battery - operated (e.g., electric or hybrid). For example, in an amusement park environment, ride features or show features can be battery - operated so that they can be charged. In many cases, for charging, an electrical feature can be charged at a charging station or charging dock. Specifically, a user of an electrical feature can connect a charging cable of the charging station to a charging port of the electrical feature. However, while the electrical feature is being charged, the user may move or drive the feature. That is, the user may manually monitor and move the electrical feature. However, it may be difficult to monitor the state of the charging port of the electrical feature while also monitoring other states related to the electrical feature.

[0003] This section is for introducing readers to various aspects of technologies that may be related to various aspects of the technology described and / or claimed below. This discussion is thought to be helpful in showing readers the background situation and facilitating a better understanding of the various aspects of the present disclosure. Accordingly, these descriptions should be read from the above perspective rather than as an admission of prior art.

Summary of the Invention

[0004] The following summarizes some embodiments that are within the same scope as the subject matter of the original claims. These embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, but rather are merely intended to outline possible forms of the subject matter. In fact, the present disclosure can include various forms that may be similar to or different from the embodiments shown below.

[0005] In one embodiment, a charging interlock system for an electronic device includes a drive system, a relay coupled to the drive system, and a controller. The controller receives an indication that the electrical device is in a charging mode. The controller also sends a signal to open the relay. Further, the controller determines that the drive system is deactivated based at least in part on the opened relay.

[0006] In one embodiment, a method includes determining that an electrical characteristic is being charged. The method also includes disabling a drive system of the electrical characteristic using a relay that disconnects or connects the drive system in response to the determination that the electrical characteristic is being charged.

[0007] In one embodiment, a relay of an electric vehicle deactivates a drive system by opening a switch that connects to the drive system in response to an indication that the electric vehicle is in a charging mode. Further, the relay activates the drive system by closing the switch in response to an indication that the electric vehicle is in a non-charging mode.

[0008] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will be better understood by reading the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like elements are denoted by like symbols throughout.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, one or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will be described. For the sake of brevity in describing these embodiments, not all implementation features may be described in this specification. It should be understood that in any such implementation development found in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developer's specific objectives, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints that may vary depending on the implementation. Furthermore, although such development efforts can be complex and time-consuming, it should be understood that they are routine endeavors of design, fabrication, and manufacturing for those skilled in the art who benefit from the present disclosure.

[0011] When introducing elements of various embodiments of the present disclosure, articles such as "a", "an", and "the" are intended to mean that these elements are present one or two or three or more. The terms "comprising", "including", and "having" are intended to be inclusive and mean that additional elements other than the recited elements may exist. Also, references to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", or "some embodiments" of the present disclosure are not to be construed as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also include the recited features. The use of the terms "approximately" or "near" is intended to mean including those that are close to a target (e.g., a design, value, quantity) within any suitable or assumed error limit (e.g., within 0.1% of the target, within 1% of the target, within 5% of the target, within 10% of the target, and within 25% of the target, etc.). As used herein, the term "charging" or "charging an electric feature" means charging a battery that supplies power to a specific portion of an electric feature. Also, as used herein, the term "docked" means that an electric feature is connected to a charging station via a charging cable. That is, an electric feature can be docked during charging and can remain docked after charging is complete.

[0012] The present disclosure generally relates to the field of amusement parks. Specifically, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to techniques for ensuring that docked objects are handled as expected in order to prevent or reduce damage that may occur due to unexpected use of amusement park objects, particularly docked objects.

[0013] Often, in an amusement park environment, in order to avoid unexpected results, users can be required to follow protocols or procedures for handling objects. As an example, electrical features such as ride features or show features in an amusement park environment can include one or more batteries that power the electrical feature. As described above, the batteries of the electrical feature can be charged at a charging station or charging dock in the amusement park. A user can plug a charging cable of the charging station into a charging port of the electrical feature to charge the electrical feature. As an example, a user may attempt to move an electrical feature while it is docked (e.g., connected to a charging station via a charging cable to charge a battery that powers the electrical feature). Moving an electrical feature while it is charging can cause the electrical feature, the charging station, or both to operate in an unexpected manner (e.g., due to damage to the electrical feature). For example, moving an electrical feature while it is charging can damage the cable plugged into the charging port of the electrical feature. Thus, it can be difficult to manage a docked electrical feature. For this reason, there is a recognized need for an improved system that limits the complexity and monitoring of the charging station system.

[0014] Note that the examples shown in this specification can be specifically related to particular electrical features of an amusement park, such as charging a battery that powers an electrical feature, but the techniques of the present disclosure can also be applied to other conditions and / or contexts. Accordingly, these examples should be understood to reflect an example of an amusement park that provides a context for explanation and should not be considered to limit further applicability of the present approach. For example, it should be understood that the present disclosure is applicable to additional or alternative situations where monitoring of docked (e.g., non-electrical) features, battery-operated objects, objects generally connected to cables or cords, or any combination thereof can be utilized for electric vehicles, as well as for electrical household and commercial devices.

[0015] With these in mind, FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of an electrical feature 10 (e.g., an electric vehicle and an electric device, etc.) of an amusement park float that can utilize the charging station interlock system described in this specification. As an example, the charging station interlock system can be used to automatically lock, stop, or prevent movement of the electrical feature 10 while the electrical feature 10 is docked to the charging station, and to automatically release the auto-lock. In the following, the electrical feature 10 will be described as an electrical float of an amusement park float show that is fully battery-operated and charged using one or two or more charging stations, but the electrical feature 10 can be any partially or fully battery-operated device having one or two or more charging ports. Further, the electrical feature 10 can be any feature within the amusement park that may require power, such as a battery-operated (e.g., electric) vehicle cart that moves along a roller coaster, a battery-operated vehicle, a battery-operated show feature, and a battery-operated character that moves its limbs to interact with guests in the amusement park. As described above, the electrical feature 10 can also be used in a context unrelated to the amusement park, such as an electric vehicle, a battery-operated vacuum cleaner, and a battery-operated lawn mower.

[0016] As shown in the figure, the electrical feature 10 can include one or more batteries 11. As described above, the electrical feature 10 can be a fully battery-operated type that operates only by the energy stored in the battery 11. In a further or alternative embodiment, the electrical feature 10 can be a hybrid feature that operates by a combination of electricity (e.g., charging of the battery 11) and fuel. In such an embodiment, the engine used to drive the electrical feature 10 can be operated by fuel, and other features of the electrical feature 10 can be operated by the battery 11. In any case, the electrical feature 10 can use the battery 11 to supply power to the electrical feature 10 for at least some operations. For example, the battery 11 can supply power to the electrical feature 10 to rotate and drive the tire 13 as part of a regular operation.

[0017] In the illustrated embodiment, the electrical feature 10 is a float for a float parade. Accordingly, the float can include an object related to the theme of the float parade. Here, the electrical feature 10 represents a reindeer and a sled as part of the holiday theme of the float parade. The reindeer and the sled can also be fully or partially battery-operated. For example, at least one of the reindeer can have a light feature 14. The light feature 14 can also be powered by the battery 11. Thus, the electrical feature 10 can include one or more features that are at least partially battery-operated. The battery 11 can be one or more lithium-ion batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, lead-acid batteries, and ultracapacitors, etc.

[0018] The electrical feature 10 can be connected to one or more charging stations, such as the first charging station 12A, the second charging station 12B, or both, to charge the battery 11. The first charging station 12A can be a direct current (DC) charger, and the second charging station 12B can be an alternating current (AC) charger. The DC charger of the first charging station 12A can include a converter inside the DC charger itself so that it can supply current directly to the battery 11. Therefore, the electrical feature 10 does not need to include a converter. In contrast, the AC charger of the second charging station 12B is an on-board charger that supplies current to the battery 11 of the electrical feature 10. The electrical feature 10 can include a converter that converts AC current to DC current, and this DC current is then supplied to the battery 11 for charging. Generally, the second charging station 12B can include a wall outlet (e.g., in a house or commercial building). Both the first charging station 12A and the second charging station 12B can be connected to one or more charging ports 16 of the electrical feature 10.

[0019] In some embodiments, the user 15 can operate the electrical feature 10. The user 15 can include a human driver, a robotic driver, and / or autonomous driving without a human driver. The user 15 can operate or drive the electrical feature 10 via, for example, the tire 13 during a float parade. In some embodiments, the tire 13 can rotate via the power from the battery 11 to move the electrical feature 10. The user 15 can also drive the electrical feature 10 to and from the charging station 12 (e.g., via the rotating tire 13 powered by the battery 11). Specifically, the user 15 can plug the charging cable 18 of the charging station 12 into the charging port 16 of the electrical feature 10. In further or alternative embodiments, the feature operator 17 can monitor the electrical feature 10. Specifically, the feature operator 17 can manually verify that the electrical feature 10, the user 15, or both are compliant with the procedure of the electrical feature 10. However, relying on the feature operator 17 to determine compliance can result in long delays due to the feature operator 17 resolving compliance issues before restarting a paused electrical feature 10.

[0020] In addition to or instead of the feature operator 17, the user 15 can also monitor the charging state of the electrical feature 10 when the electrical feature 10 is docked. For example, the user 15 can determine the charging state of the electrical feature 10 after inserting a charging cable 18 that conducts current from a charging station 12 through one or more charging ports 16 of the electrical feature 10 in order to ultimately charge a battery 11 that powers the electrical feature 10. For example, the electrical feature 10 can include a dashboard 19 that indicates the charging state when a charging cable 18 is inserted into the charging port 16 and the battery level is increasing. The dashboard 19 can also indicate other charging-related states such as, for example, the battery charging percentage (e.g., 20% and 50%), the battery state (e.g., low battery), and the charging station 12 near the amusement park. Similarly, the dashboard 19 can indicate a fully charged state when the battery 11 is fully charged. As will be described with respect to FIGS. 3 and 4, in some embodiments, a fully charged battery 11 can prompt the reactivation of a deactivated drive system.

[0021] In some embodiments, the electrical feature 10 may also include a vehicle stop button 20. The vehicle stop button 20 can disable the drive system. In some embodiments, in addition to or instead of disabling the drive system, the vehicle stop button 20 can also activate an emergency brake system (e.g., different from the drive system) of the electrical feature 10 to prevent the drive of the electrical feature 10. In such embodiments, the vehicle stop button 20 can include an electronically controlled parking brake, a mechanically controlled brake, or both. In this specification, disabling the drive system, activating the emergency brake system, or both are described, but the systems and methods described in this specification can also utilize only disabling the drive system, such as by opening a relay that activates the drive system (e.g., disconnecting the drive system). Specifically, the drive system can be disconnected from a power source (e.g., battery 11, another power source, or both) that supplies power to the drive system. Disconnecting the drive system from the power source can disable the drive of the electrical feature 10, and connecting the drive system to the power source can activate the drive of the electrical feature 10.

[0022] A user 15 within the electrical feature 10 operating the electrical feature 10 or a user 15 located outside the electrical feature 10 can press the vehicle stop button 20 or a similar mechanism to disable the drive system or activate the emergency brake. In some embodiments, the feature operator 17 can press the vehicle stop button 20 to disable the drive system or activate the emergency brake. By disabling the drive system or activating the brake, the movement of the electrical feature 10 can be prevented, such as by temporarily stopping the operating mode of the electrical feature 10. Specifically, the user 15 or the feature operator 17 can use the vehicle stop button 20 to prevent the electrical feature 10 from moving unexpectedly during an unexpected time frame (e.g., during docking).

[0023] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a charging station interlock system 50 applied to the electrical feature 10 (e.g., an electric vehicle feature) of FIG. 1. As shown, the charging station interlock system 50 includes the electrical feature 10, a controller 60, and a sensor 70. As described herein, the charging station interlock system 50 can efficiently monitor the electrical feature 10 and automatically prevent or stop the operation of the electrical feature 10 (e.g., by disabling the drive system, enabling the automatic braking system, or both). In the systems and methods described herein, various sensors 70, representing particular embodiments, are described as being used in conjunction with the charging port 16 to determine the presence of the electrical feature 10, but the systems and methods described herein can also monitor the electrical feature 10 using only the charging port 16 and prevent the electrical feature 10 from moving during a subsequent expected time frame (e.g., during docking). It should be understood that the illustrated system is merely illustrative and that according to the disclosed embodiments, some features and components may be omitted to enhance performance, or various other features and components may be added.

[0024] The electrical feature 10 can include a battery 11, a charging port 16, a relay 52 (e.g., a switch), a drive system 54, a vehicle stop button 20, a timer 21, a battery tester 23, and a power source 25. As described above, the charging station 12 can be connected to the electrical feature 10 via a charging cable 18 that connects from the charging station 12 to the charging port 16 of the electrical feature 10. The charging station 12 can charge the battery 11 of the electrical feature 10 to power the electrical feature 10, power other features of the electrical feature 10, or both. Specifically, the user 15 can drive the electrical feature 10 to the charging station 12. The user 15 can dock the electrical feature 10 at the charging station. Specifically, the user 15 can dock the electrical feature 10 within a predetermined distance threshold from the charging station 12 such that the charging cable 18 reaches the charging port 16 of the electrical feature 10 from the charging station 12. However, the electrical feature 10 may move away from the dock of the charging station 12. For example, the electrical feature 10 may start moving during docking.

[0025] In some cases, the electrical feature 10 may move away from the charging station 12 while the charging cable 18 is plugged into the charging port 16 of the electrical feature 10. Thus, moving the electrical feature 10 while it is still connected to (e.g., docked at) the charging station 12 can result in the electrical feature 10 being handled in an unexpected manner. To prevent unexpected results to the charging station 12, the electrical feature 10, or both, the charging station interlock system 50 can use the relay 52 to interlock the drive system 54 of the electrical feature 10. That is, the interlock system 50 can disable the drive system 54, enable the braking system, or both.

[0026] Specifically, relay 52 can be a switch for interlocking the drive system 54. When the electrical feature 10 docks with the charging station 12 and is connected to the charging station 12 via the charging cable 18, the relay 52 can open (e.g., the open state of the switch). Specifically, as described with respect to FIG. 3, the relay 52 can utilize the emergency stop system of the vehicle stop button 20 to deactivate the drive system 54 from the power source 25, activate the emergency brake against the drive system 54, or perform both. That is, by associating the vehicle stop button 20 with a system that is often used in emergencies and activated via the vehicle stop button 20, it is possible to prevent the electrical feature 10 from operating in an unexpected manner. Specifically, when the charging port 16 is in use and the charging station 12 is connected to the electrical feature 10 via the charging cable 18, the relay 52 can open (e.g., the off state of the switch) to disconnect the drive system 54 from the power source 25 and prevent the drive of the electrical feature 10. The power source 25 can include any power source that supplies energy or power to the drive system 54. The power source 25 can include one or more batteries, power supplies, gasoline, biodiesel, and natural gas, etc. In some embodiments, the power source 25 can be the battery 11. Disconnecting the drive system 54 using the relay 52 can include disconnecting the drive system 54 from the power source 25 so that the drive system 54 no longer operates. When the charging port 16 is not in use (e.g., when the charging cable 18 is returned to the charging station 12), the relay 52 can close (e.g., the closed state) to reconnect the drive system 54. The drive system 54 can enable the drive or movement of the electrical feature 10. Thus, the relay 52 can activate the drive system 54 when the charging port 16 is not in use and deactivate the drive system 54 when the charging port 16 is in use during charging of the electrical feature 10. Further, as described above, the relay 52 can similarly connect the emergency brake to deactivate the drive or disconnect the emergency brake to activate the drive.

[0027] In a further or alternative embodiment, the sensor 70 (as shown) can communicate with or be integrated with the electrical feature 10, the controller 60, or both. For example, the charging port cover sensor 77 can be integrated with the electrical feature 10 (e.g., coupled to or disposed at the charging port 16 of the electrical feature 10). In addition or alternatively, the sensor 70 can indicate that the charging port 16 is in use or is likely to be used such that the relay 52 opens to deactivate the drive system 54 to prevent or reduce an unexpected result. Sensor data from the sensor 70 can be used with other data (e.g., timing data from the timer 21 and battery level data from the battery tester 23) to indicate, for example, that the electrical feature 10 is charging and that charging has ended. Specifically, the sensor 70 can include one or more of a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag 72, a camera 74, a weight sensor 76, a charging port cover sensor 77, an infrared (IR) marker 78, and / or an electronic reader 79. In some embodiments, the sensor 70 can be disposed or positioned in an area where the electrical feature 10 within the docking area is expected to dock, such as within a threshold distance or a predetermined distance (e.g., less than about 1.5 meters (m) from the charging station 12) to provide sufficient slack for the charging cable 18. Further, in some embodiments, the electrical feature 10 can form a short-range wireless communication connection with one or more of the sensor 70, the charging station 12, or both. That is, the charging station 12 can include a device (e.g., a Bluetooth device) that enables short-range wireless communication. Short-range wireless communication can include a wireless communication protocol that enables communication between electronic devices over a short distance, such as between 4 centimeters (cm) and 10 cm. Short-range wireless communication can indicate that the electrical feature 10 is in a charging mode (e.g., docked and charging). Also, docking within a predetermined distance can indicate, for example, based on short-range wireless communication, that the battery 11 is likely to be charged or is in a charging mode.The sensor 70 can provide other data indicating that the electrical characteristics are expected to dock within the docking area, such as based on exceeding a predetermined weight in the docking area, and image data indicating that the electrical characteristic 10 is present near the charging station 12. The sensor data from the sensor 70 can indicate that the electrical characteristic 10 is located at the dock, and thus it can be shown that benefits are obtained by opening the relay 52 to reduce or prevent unexpected results for the electrical characteristic 10, the charging station 12, or both. Specifically, based on sensor data indicating that the electrical characteristic 10 is present within a threshold distance from the charging station 12, the electrical characteristic 10 can open the relay 52 and deactivate the drive system 54 before the elapse of a predetermined time.

[0028] The timer 21 can include a clock that measures time in seconds and minutes, etc. The timer 21 can track time over a predetermined period. The predetermined period or time frame can correlate with the time frame for fully charging the electrical characteristic 10. Thus, the predetermined period can indicate that the electrical characteristic 10 is in the charging mode. The relay 52 can close after the elapse of a predetermined period so that the drive system 54 can drive the electrical characteristic 10 again. The elapse of the predetermined period can indicate that the charging of the battery 11 is complete. In addition to or instead of this, as described with respect to FIG. 4, a change in the battery level determined and indicated by the battery tester 23 can also indicate the completion of the charging of the battery 11. The battery tester 23 can generally indicate the current charge level of the battery or the charging percentage of the battery (e.g., 20% and 50%, etc.), the change in the charge level, the state of the battery (e.g., low battery), and / or the completion of charging.

[0029] Furthermore, the controller 60 can include an input device 62, a processor 64, a memory 66, and a communication circuit 68. The input device 62 can receive input data from the sensor 70 and the electrical feature 10 (e.g., the charging port 16). Based on the input data received at the input device 62, the controller 60 can adjust the relay 52, and thus the drive system 54, or other features that can prevent or reduce unexpected results due to the unexpected use of the electrical feature 10 while docked at the charging station 12.

[0030] The RFID tag 72 can communicate with the electronic reader 79 to indicate the presence of an object such as the electrical feature 10, so that the charging station interlock system 50 can then open and close the relay 52 to disable or enable the drive system 54, respectively. Specifically, the RFID tag 72 can be incorporated into the electrical feature 10 (e.g., inside, on the side, at the bottom, or at the entrance of the electrical feature 10). Accordingly, the electronic reader 79 can be arranged to be able to scan the RFID tag 72. As an example, the electronic reader 79 can be arranged on the dock so that when the electrical feature 10 passes over the electronic reader 79, the electronic reader 79 scans the RFID tag 72 on the electrical feature 10, indicating that the electrical feature 10 is connected to the charging cable and thus should be disabled from driving and / or moving. The electrical feature 10 can be made drivable again after the passage of a predetermined time frame.

[0031] In some embodiments, as described above, the camera 74 can be placed or positioned within an area underlying the docking of the electrical feature 10 near the charging station 12. The camera 74 can determine the presence of the electrical feature 10 based on an image or video captured by the camera 74. In addition to or instead of this, a weight sensor 76 next to the charging station 12 can also indicate the presence of the electrical feature 10. Specifically, the weight sensor 76 can be attached to the dock or a designated charging area, and be made to indicate the presence of the electrical feature 10 based on measuring a weight exceeding a predetermined weight threshold (for example, an approximate weight corresponding to the electrical feature 10). Further, the charging port cover sensor 77 can include a sensor that detects the opening and closing of a cover of the charging port 16, such as a door or hatch covering the charging port 16. The charging port cover sensor 77 can include a contact sensor (for example, with a switch and / or magnet) for detecting the opening and closing of the cover. If the cover is open, it can indicate that the electrical feature 10 is in the charging mode, and if the cover is closed, it can indicate that the electrical feature 10 is in the non - charging mode. The controller 60 can send a signal to open the relay 52, disconnect the power source 25 from the drive system 54, and deactivate the drive of the electrical feature 10 in order to reduce or prevent an unexpected result for the electrical feature 10, the charging station 12, or both. Further, an IR marker 78 disposed on the electrical feature 10 can reflect light identified by the camera 74 to indicate the presence of the electrical feature 10 at the dock.

[0032] Controller 60 can enable communication circuit 68 to interact with various electronic devices such as the amusement park monitoring system and the service desk. The monitoring system and / or the service desk can communicate with controller 60 to receive and / or transmit information to ensure that the charging station interlock system 50, the electrical feature 10, or both are operating as expected. In addition or alternatively, controller 60 can also enable communication circuit 68 to interact with components of electrical feature 10 such as relay 52, drive system 54, and / or the brake system related to vehicle stop button 20.

[0033] For example, communication circuit 68 can enable controller 60 to be communicatively coupled to a network such as a Personal Area Network (PAN), a Local Area Network (LAN), and / or a Wide Area Network (WAN). Thus, in some embodiments, controller 60 can process data from input device 62, determine the presence of electrical feature 10 docked at charging station 12, and communicate a modification of electrical feature 10 (e.g., opening or closing of relay 52) via communication circuit 68. For example, after processor 64 processes data from input device 62 indicating that charging port 16 is in use, it can determine a control signal that enables communication circuit 68 to wirelessly transmit control data to electrical feature 10 that enables opening or closing of relay 52 (e.g., stopping electrical feature 10 by disconnecting drive system 54). In other embodiments, communication circuit 68 can be connected to electrical feature 10 via a wired connection.

[0034] The processor 64 can include one or more processing devices that receive input signals from the input device 62 related to the docking of the electrical feature 10 and that can be used to determine possible modifications of the electrical feature 10 using the techniques described herein. The memory 66 can include one or more tangible, non-transitory machine-readable media. By way of example, such machine-readable media can include RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, or optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage, or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to hold or store a desired algorithm (e.g., program code) in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures and that can be accessed by the processor 64 or other processor-based devices. In particular, the processor 64 can include a processing core that executes machine-executable instruction algorithms stored in the memory 66. The processor 64 can also include a processor-side interface for software applications operating on the processing core to interact with hardware components on one or more electrical features 10 related to the processor 64.

[0035] As an example in an amusement park environment, the algorithms stored can include, but are not limited to, algorithms that determine the presence or docking of the electrical feature 10 within the amusement park by the charging station 12 based on the state of the charging port 16, sensor data from the sensor 70, timing data from the timer 21, and / or battery level data. These algorithms can also include algorithms that determine a change in the relay 52 based on the determination of the electrical feature 10, algorithms that determine the location of the electrical feature 10 relative to the charging station 12 within the amusement park, algorithms that determine the current drive state of the electrical feature 10, and algorithms that determine the use or charging state of the charging port 16.

[0036] FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a relay process 80 (e.g., a switch) of the charging station interlock system 50. As shown, the flowchart of the relay process 80 can include a charging port 16, a relay 52, a power source 25, and a drive system 54. The relay process 80 describes the flow of data and conditions in a particular order representative of a particular embodiment, but the data and conditions can occur in any order. Further, as described above, sensor data, timing data, and / or battery level data can be used to determine that the electrical feature 10 is docked at the charging station 12 and the relay 52 should be opened, in addition to or instead of an indication that the charging port 16 is in use. The indication that the charging port 16 is in use can be based on a message or signal received at the electrical feature 10 (e.g., the dashboard 19).

[0037] The charging port 16 can include the port of the electrical feature 10 used to charge the battery 11. The charging port 16 can be the point where the charging cable 18 from the charging station 12 is plugged into the electrical feature 10. In some embodiments, the electrical feature 10 can include only one port or can include multiple ports. As an example, different ports can be designated for different power speeds (e.g., fast charging using DC charging or relatively slow charging using AC charging) and different connectors for the charging cable 18. As described above, when the electrical feature 10 is connected to the charging station 12 and the electrical feature 10 docks at the charging station 12 or in the vicinity thereof (e.g., within a predetermined distance from the charging station 12 that allows sufficient slack of the charging cable 18 from the charging station 12 to the electrical feature 10), the movement of the electrical feature 10 can be disabled. That is, while the charging cable 18 is plugged in, the electrical feature 10 can be expected to be in a stationary position so as not to move from the docking position to prevent unexpected results for the electrical feature 10.

[0038] The systems and methods described herein can utilize an existing disabling drive system associated with a vehicle stop button 20 that uses a relay 52 to disable a drive system 54 to prevent a user 15 (e.g., inside or outside of an electrical feature 10) from moving the electrical feature 10 (e.g., inadvertently driving the electrical feature 10). In some embodiments, the relay 52 can utilize an existing braking system associated with the vehicle stop button 20 (e.g., different from disabling the drive system). Disabling the drive system can be a primary (e.g., main) system for stopping or preventing movement of the electrical feature 10, and the braking system can be a secondary (e.g., backup) system. For example, the vehicle stop button 20 can be used when the user 15 notices that the electrical feature 10 continues to move or advance while being commanded to be in a parked or stationary state. That is, the user 15 can use the vehicle stop button 20 to prevent or stop the electrical feature 10 from operating in an unexpected manner. Accordingly, the relay process 80 described herein can provide a similar automatic brake that stops or prevents the electrical feature 10 from moving when the electrical feature 10 is docked, using the relay 52 associated with the vehicle stop button 20. Specifically, as described above, the charging state can be determined based on the charging port 16 in use as described with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3. In addition to or instead of this, the charging state can also be determined based on sensor data, timing data, and / or battery level data indicating that the electrical feature 10 is currently docked to or is likely to dock to the charging station 12. Further, the systems and methods described herein can utilize an existing disabling drive system and / or activate a braking system, and thus can be free of additional components and circuitry for performing a process that stops the electrical feature 10 from operating in an unexpected manner.Accordingly, the systems and methods described herein can efficiently provide a relay process 80 while saving the space that would otherwise be associated with additional components and circuitry for performing a stop process.

[0039] Relay 52 can automatically open based on, for example, an indication that charging port 16 is in use when electrical feature 10 docks. In some embodiments, relay 52 can activate or deactivate drive system 54. Specifically, when relay 52 is closed (e.g., connected or on), drive system 54 is coupled to components that enable driving or movement of electrical feature 10 (e.g., electrical and / or mechanical components, power source 25, etc.). On the other hand, when relay 52 is open (e.g., disconnected or off), drive system 54 is decoupled from components that enable driving the electrical feature. As an example, as shown in the figure, an open relay 52 can disconnect power source 25 from drive system 54 to deactivate driving of electrical feature 10. On the other hand, a closed relay 52 can connect power source 25 to drive system 54 to enable driving of electrical feature 10. Accordingly, by opening relay 52, the circuitry and power that activate drive system 54 can be disconnected to deactivate drive system 54. In this way, relay process 80 provides an automatic or default system that deactivates driving of electrical feature 10 and thus prevents or stops electrical feature 10 from operating in an unexpected manner that could result in unexpected consequences. For example, the unexpected consequences can include damage to charging port 16 and battery 11 of electrical feature 10, as well as charging cable 18, charging station 12, structures attached or connected to charging station 12 (e.g., a building to which charging station 12 is attached).

[0040] FIG. 4 is a process flow diagram of a method 100 for interlocking electrical feature 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Although method 100 will be described using acts in a particular order, it should be understood that the acts described may be performed in an order different from the order shown, and that particular acts described may be skipped or not performed at all. In general, at least some of the steps of method 100 can be performed at least partially by charging station interlock system 50 of FIG. 2. Specifically, these steps can be performed at least partially by a processor 64 of controller 60 executing instructions stored in a tangible non-transitory computer-readable medium such as controller 60 and / or memory 66. In another or further embodiment, at least some of the steps of method 100 can be performed by any other suitable component or control logic or the like.

[0041] When interlocking the electrical feature 10, the processor 64 can determine whether the electrical feature 10 is docked (determination block 102). For example, the processor 64 can determine that the electrical feature 10 is docked based at least on a determination that the charging port 16 is in use. Specifically, when the charging cable 18 is plugged into the charging port 16 to charge the battery 11, the charging port 16 can be in use. In a further or alternative embodiment, as described above, the processor 64 can determine that the electrical feature 10 is docked based on the sensor data, timing data, and / or battery level data described with respect to FIG. 2. These data can indicate not only that the electrical feature 10 is docked to or is likely to be docked to the charging station 12, but also the state of charging and when charging can be completed. Specifically, the charging port usage data, sensor data, timing data, and / or battery level data can indicate that the electrical feature 10 is in the charging mode during charging and in the non-charging mode when charging is complete. As an example, these data can indicate that the electrical feature 10 is parked within a predetermined distance or within a threshold distance (e.g., less than 1.5 m) from the charging station 12. Therefore, these data indicate that the electrical feature 10 is likely to be docked. In some cases, the sensor data can be based on, for example, a weight exceeding a predetermined weight threshold measured by the weight sensor 76 (in the docking area) and image data from the camera 74 indicating that the electrical feature 10 is parked at the charging station 12.

[0042] Furthermore, sensor data indicating that the electrical feature 10 is parked and present within a predetermined distance or threshold distance from the charging station 12, and the elapse of a predetermined time indicated by a change in the timing data and / or battery level data, can indicate that the electrical feature 10 has completed charging and the drive system 54 should be re-enabled. For example, the battery level data can indicate a change in the battery level by a change in the threshold charge level (e.g., 1%, 5%, 10%, etc.), reaching the threshold battery level (e.g., 50%) when the battery level was initially below the threshold battery level, and / or reaching a full battery charge (e.g., 100% charge). As another example, the relay 52 can close after the battery level has stabilized and a certain period of time has elapsed such that the drive system 54 can drive the electrical feature 10 again. In general, the relay 52 can close after determining that it should no longer dock the electrical feature 10 based on changes in the battery level and the timing of charging, etc.

[0043] After determining that the electrical feature 10 is docked, the processor 64 can open the relay 52 as described with respect to FIG. 3 (process block 104). Specifically, the processor 64 can send a signal to open the relay 52 to disconnect the drive system 54 from the power source 25 that powers the drive system 54 (e.g., deactivate the drive system 54). Disconnecting from the drive system 54 can stop or prevent movement of the electrical feature 10 and reduce unexpected results associated with the electrical feature 10 operating in an unexpected manner (e.g., driving while charging). Optionally (as indicated by the dashed box), the processor 64 can determine (process block 106) that the drive system 54 is deactivated or disconnected after instructing the relay 52 to open and disconnect from the drive system 54. As described above, the electrical feature 10 can also use a non-emergency brake system other than the vehicle stop button 20 to deactivate the drive system 54. The processor 64 can automatically re-check whether the electrical feature 10 remains docked. For example, the processor 64 can perform a check after changes in the use of the charging port 16, sensor data, elapsed time frame data, and / or battery level data. In some embodiments, the processor 64 can periodically re-check whether the electrical feature 10 remains docked. For example, the time frame for the re-check can be based on the average time frame to charge the battery 11 from the current charge level to full charge.

[0044] On the one hand, when the electrical feature 10 is not docked or the charging is completed based on, for example, the use of the charging port 16, sensor data, elapsed time, battery level data, and / or the state of the charging station 12 (indicating that the charging is completed), the processor 64 can send a signal to close the relay 52 to connect the drive system 54 to the power source 25 (e.g., activate the drive system 54) (process block 108). That is, the processor 64 can enable the operation or continuation of the drive system 54 so that the deactivation of the drive system 54 is not executed. Optionally (as shown by the dashed box), the processor 64 can determine that the drive system is activated (e.g., reactivated) (process block 110). In some embodiments, closing the relay 52 can also release the automatic emergency brake system (e.g., not the drive system 54). In some embodiments, the drive system 54 can include a manual brake system. Therefore, the drive system 54 can be operated to drive the electrical feature 10, but the user can manually utilize the manual brake system of the drive system 54 to stop or prevent the driving of the electrical feature 10 as needed. In some embodiments, this brake system can be unrelated to the vehicle stop button 20 or the relay 52.

[0045] Accordingly, the systems and methods described herein facilitate efficiently stopping or preventing the driving or movement of the electrical feature 10 during charging. Further, the systems and methods can utilize an emergency drive deactivation system, a brake system, or both for the electrical feature. By utilizing existing systems, an efficient deactivation process can be provided during the charging of the electrical feature 10 without adding new circuitry, and the space for the electrical feature 10 can be saved.

[0046] In this specification, only some features of the present disclosure are illustrated and described, but many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it should be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes that follow the true spirit of the present disclosure. It should also be understood that any features illustrated or described with respect to the above-mentioned figures can be combined in any suitable form.

[0047] The technology claimed and shown in this specification refers to and is applicable to tangible things and specific examples of an actual nature that surely improve this technical field, and thus are not abstract, intangible, or purely theoretical. Further, if any of the claims appended at the end of this specification includes one or more elements designated as "means for [performing]... [function]" or "steps for [performing]... [function]", such elements should be construed in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). On the other hand, for any claim that includes elements designated in any other form, such elements should not be construed in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 112(f).

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0048] 10 Electrical characteristics 11 Battery 12A First charging station 12B Second charging station 13 Tire 14 Optical characteristics 15 User 16 Charging port 17 Feature operator 18 Charging cable 19 Dashboard 20 Vehicle stop button

Claims

1. An electrical device charging interlock system, The drive system and The electrical circuit of the drive system and a relay configured to control the brake system associated with the brake of the electrical device, Controller and The controller is equipped with, Upon receiving an instruction that the aforementioned electrical device is in charging mode, A signal is transmitted which is configured to open the relay in response to receiving the instruction that the electrical device is in charging mode, wherein opening the relay disables the drive system and enables the brakes. It is determined that the drive system is disabled and the brake system is enabled based at least partially on the opened relay. It is configured in such a way. A charging interlock system characterized by the following features.

2. In an open configuration, the relay disconnects the drive system from the battery of the electrical device that supplies power to the drive system when connected to the drive system. The charging interlock system according to claim 1.

3. The above instructions are at least in part based on the use of the charging port of the electrical device, The charging interlock system according to claim 1.

4. The instruction is at least partially based on sensor data indicating that the electrical device is within a predetermined threshold distance from the charging station, and at least partially based on a predetermined time frame indicating that the electrical device is in the charging mode. The charging interlock system according to claim 1.

5. The instruction is at least partially based on sensor data indicating that the electrical device exceeds a predetermined weight threshold in the docking area of ​​the charging station. The charging interlock system according to claim 1.

6. The controller is configured to transmit an additional signal to close the relay or an additional signal to maintain the relay in a closed configuration in response to the electrical device being outside a predetermined threshold distance from the charging station and based on a predetermined time frame indicating that the electrical device is in the charging mode. The charging interlock system according to claim 1.

7. The controller is configured to periodically determine that the electrical device is in the charging mode based on at least charging port usage data, sensor data, elapsed time frame data, or battery level data. The charging interlock system according to claim 1.

8. A method for charging electrical features, Determining that the electrical characteristics indicate that it is charging, In response to the determination that the electrical feature is being charged, a relay is opened, which is located along the electrical circuit and connects the drive system of the electrical feature to the power source of the electrical feature, wherein opening the relay disconnects the drive system and connects the brake system to disable the movement of the electrical feature. A method characterized by including the following.

9. The aforementioned electrical characteristics determine that the device is not charging, In response to determining that the electrical feature is not being charged, the relay is used to activate the drive system for the electrical feature, The method according to claim 8, including the method described in claim 8.

10. The relay, when in the closed state, enables the operation of the drive system. The method according to claim 8.

11. The relay, when in the open state, disables the drive of the drive system. The method according to claim 8.

12. The relay is related to the brake system which connects and disconnects the drive system to the power source of the electrical features, The method according to claim 8.

13. The aforementioned electrical features include floats, rides, vehicles, show features, or any combination thereof in an amusement park. The method according to claim 8.

14. This includes receiving instructions, at least partially based on short-range radio communication, that the aforementioned electrical feature is being charged. The method according to claim 8.

15. Determining that the aforementioned electrical feature is charging includes determining that a charging cable is plugged into the charging port of the aforementioned electrical feature. The method according to claim 8.

16. It is a relay for electric vehicles. In response to an instruction that the electric vehicle is in charging mode, a switch is opened along the circuit including the drive system of the electric vehicle to disable the drive system and activate the brake system of the electric vehicle. In response to an instruction that the electric vehicle is in non-charging mode, the switch is closed to activate the drive system and the brake system is disabled. A relay characterized by being configured in such a way.

17. The aforementioned electric vehicles include vehicles used for amusement park rides, amusement park shows, or both. The relay according to claim 16.

18. The instruction that the electric vehicle is in charging mode is at least partially based on the use of the electric vehicle's charging port. The relay according to claim 16.

19. Disabling the drive system includes at least disconnecting the electric vehicle's battery from the drive system. The relay according to claim 16.

20. The instruction is at least partially based on sensor data indicating that the electric vehicle is within a predetermined threshold distance from the charging station. The relay according to claim 16.

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